(WOODBRIDGE, NJ) – New Jersey Planning Officials recognized the Lawrence Hopewell Trail with a 2013 NJPO Achievement in Planning Award during a recent banquet at the Woodbridge Hilton Hotel.

The NJPO is made up of planning and zoning officers, attorneys, engineers, architects, and others. It is neither a state agency nor a professional organization. It was formed by and is still led by the civilian planners, volunteer local residents appointed by mayors and/or municipal governing bodies to serve on planning boards and zoning boards of adjustment. They chart and preserve a community’s quality of life standards.

In the program announcing the award, the NJPO described the LHT: “The Lawrence Hopewell Trail was originally established by Bristol-Myers Squibb and the Educational Testing Service to establish an interconnected network of bicycle trails/walking paths between their respective corporate campuses. Through the involvement of Mercer County, Lawrence Township, Hopewell Township and Pennington Borough the trail system has been expanded to link village centers to those centers of employment and provide active recreational opportunities to the public.”

The NJPO brochure continued, “The Trail is a 20+ miles bicycle and pedestrian recreational trail and transportation corridor through the public and private lands that grew out of a commitment to improving the quality of life for all who live or work in the region. The Trail supports an active, livable, and sustainable community with alternative forms of transportation to reduce reliance on automobiles. It also promotes health and fitness, recreation and outdoor education.”

NJPO Executive Director Jason Kasler said, “We honored the Lawrence Hopewell Trail because it is a citizen-led effort that provides an important amenity for the communities of Lawrence and Hopewell Townships.”

Winn Thompson, vice president of the NJPO, a member of the Pennington Borough Planning and Zoning Board and the person who nominated the LHT for the award, said, “The Lawrence Hopewell Trail is a unique public/private partnership led by two of the principal corporations in our region, together with participation by local municipalities, Mercer County, state and federal governments and local citizen groups to create an asset in our community which will serve everyone for generations.”

Eleanor Horne, co-president of the LHT and former vice president at Educational Testing Services, said, “We are honored to have been recognized at the 2013 New Jersey Planning Officials ceremony. We share a vision with the members of the NJPO to support and enhance our local communities, so this award is very special to us.”

“Since 2002 a group of dedicated citizens has been planning and eventually building a biking and walking trail we call the LHT,” said Becky Taylor, also co-president of the trail as well as president of BTaylor Public Affairs. “Without the upfront planning, our trail would be nothing but a great idea. Now our trail is about 80 percent complete, enabling people to walk or bike through parks, a village, schools, corporate campuses and neighborhoods in Hopewell and Lawrence Townships.”

HOPEWELL, N.J. (Aug. 19, 2016) – With a high probability of widespread rain and thunderstorms this Sunday, August 21, the Lawrence Hopewell Trail board and Mercer County Park Commission decided today to postpone its annual Full Moon Ride to Saturday, September 17, with a rain date set for September 18.

The event was originally scheduled to take place this Sunday, but the board and county staff determined that moving the event – which has drawn over 500 participants for the last two years – is necessary to ensure the safety of hundreds of riders and dozens of volunteers expected at event.

An added benefit is that the ride will take place earlier in the evening because the moon rises earlier in September.

"With an expected moon rise of 7:47 p.m. on September 17, we can start the ride a full hour earlier than we planned for this Sunday," said Jay Watson, LHT board member and curator of the Full Moon Ride. "Our ride will begin at 8:30, when the moon will be high enough to cast good light on the trail route. Riders will cycle six miles through the meadows and woodlands of Mercer Meadows."

"The weather forecast for this Sunday evening -- for a cold front bringing widespread rain and thunderstorms -- leaves us little choice but to move this l event to September," Watson said. "Our event co-sponsor, the Mercer County Parks Commission, agrees with this decision and is now booking the event for September 17, with a rain date of the next night."

Those who previously registered for the ride will be automatically registered for the September 17 ride. Those who can't attend and who have already paid the registration fee of $10 per person, $20 per family, can be reimbursed by requesting reimbursement at info@lhtrail.org. Registrants who cannot attend may also choose to donate fees already paid to the LHT, which is a nonprofit community group supported by generous donations from individuals and groups. Funds collected from the registration will go directly toward offsetting the cost of the event, continued construction of the LHT as well as ongoing trail maintenance.

This is the third year in a row for this nighttime cycling excursion. The ride will begin at Rosedale Park parking lot off Federal City Road will take cyclists through Maidenhead Trail, on to the Twin Pines Trail and then back to Rosedale Park. The ride is expected to take about 45 minutes to complete.

Riders are encouraged to decorate their bikes to add to the fun. There will be limited number of glow sticks available to participants to light up their bikes and bicycle headlights are recommended for additional safety. Helmets are required. Ice cream vendors will be on hand selling their frozen concoctions.

The Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) is a 22-mile bicycle and pedestrian recreational trail and transportation corridor through public and private lands in Lawrence and Hopewell Townships, Mercer County, N.J. The idea for the LHT grew out of a commitment to improving the quality of life for all who live or work in the region. The LHT supports an active, livable and sustainable community with alternative forms of transportation to reduce the reliance on automobiles. It also promotes health and fitness, recreation and outdoor education. The LHT is a key member of the Circuit Coalition, a 750-mile network of bicycle and pedestrian trails connecting people to jobs, communities, and parks in the Greater Philadelphia Region. For more information, please visit www.lhtrail.org.

About Mercer Meadows

The Mercer County Park Commission manages diverse offerings within its more than 10,000 acres of parks, recreational facilities, and open space throughout Mercer County. Mercer Meadows, where the Full Moon Bike Ride will take place, consists of more than 1,600 acres, divided among five separate districts. Miles of mowed and gravel trails provide visitors and their families with scenic walking and biking routes through the meadows and woodland. Fishing is a popular activity at the park's four water bodies. For more information, please visit www.mercercountyparks.org.

(Hopewell, NJ) -Lawrence Hopewell Trail board members will ride an approximate four-mile stretch of the LHT from the Brearley House off of Princeton Pike to Village Park in Lawrence Township on Sunday, April 28, starting at 10 a.m. The public is invited to join the family-friendly ride.

The LHT board members will be riding in part to enjoy the beauty of the trail and in part to assess whether the segment needs more signage and to determine how best to describe the segment in LHT literature.

“A priority for this year is to make the LHT more accessible to the public. The trail is a great asset for families as well as individuals who want to get some exercise while enjoying the beauty of nature,” said Robert Sopko, LHT board member and chair of the public relations committee as well as former superintendent of the Hopewell Valley Schools.

“We are in the process of updating LHT literature so we accurately portray the trail,” said Lindsey Bohra, LHT board member and chair of the public relations committee and current executive director of Lawrenceville Main Street. “By categorizing the segments, we can tell the public which segments are more appropriate for families and which are better for cyclists looking for a challenging ride.” She said parking will be available at the Brearley House, and LHT members will be riding bikes, some accompanied by their children in child bike carriers.

The Lawrence Hopewell Trail is a nonprofit, community-based organization developing a 22-plus mile safe, family-friendly trail through the Lawrence and Hopewell communities. About three-quarters of the trail is usable now; the remainder is planned for completion over the next year.

The LHT’s board is made up of community leaders, interested citizens and two major area employers. It started in 2002 when a group of community leaders met at Bristol-Myers Squibb to address concerns about diminishing opportunities for safe, off-road biking and walking. Hopewell and Lawrence Township officials, state and county government representatives and several private organizations including Educational Testing Service, joined the group, and an independent nonprofit organization was formed to build a biking and walking trail.

Check the website for up-to-date information on the trail sections and upcoming events: www.lhtrail.org.

(HOPEWELL, NJ) – On Sat., Oct. 19, the Lawrence Hopewell Trail will host four bicycling rides starting at various places along the trail in Hopewell and Lawrence Townships and ending at the Hunt House, headquarters of Mercer County Park Commission, off of Blackwell Road in Hopewell Township. Everyone is invited to start at one of several different starting points to ride in to the Hunt House where everybody will meet. LHT board members will hand out LHT magnets and maps to those wishing to extend their rides and explore Mercer Meadows.

The ride-in details:

1. 10 a.m. from Bristol-Myers Squibb Hopewell entrance on Pennington-Rocky Hill Road, led by Mike Gray and Jill Young. If the small lot is filled, you will be directed to the construction entrance lot also on Rocky Hill-Pennington Road, across from Elm Ridge Road.

2. 10 a.m. from Twin Pines Athletic Complex paved parking lot on Pennington-Lawrenceville Road west of intersection with Federal City Road, led by Cie Stroud.

3. 10 a.m. from Village Park parking at the end of Gordon Avenue, led by Donald Pillsbury.

4. 9:30 a.m. from the Brearley House at the end of Meadow Road off of Princeton Pike, led by Pete Garnich.

The Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) is a 20+ miles bicycle and pedestrian recreational trail and transportation corridor through public and private lands in Lawrence and Hopewell Townships, Mercer County, N.J. The idea for the LHT grew out of a commitment to improving the quality of life for all who live or work in the region. The LHT supports an active, livable, and sustainable community with alternative forms of transportation to reduce reliance on automobiles. It also promotes health and fitness, recreation, and outdoor education.

The LHT’s board is made up of citizens who are committed to the development and use of trails. It started in 2002 when a group of community leaders met at Bristol-Myers Squibb to address concerns about diminishing opportunities for safe, off-road biking and walking. Hopewell and Lawrence Township officials, state and county government representatives and several private organizations including Educational Testing Service, joined the group, and an independent nonprofit organization was formed to build a biking and walking trail.

(HOPEWELL, N.J.) – As part of the Hopewell Valley's Come Out and Play weekend, the Lawrence Hopewell Trail will again host four family-friendly bicycling rides on Saturday, June 11. The rides start at various places along the trail in Hopewell and Lawrence Townships and end at the Hunt House, headquarters of Mercer County Park Commission, located at the heart of Mercer Meadows.

"All children from elementary age and up are welcome to participate, along with their parents," said Jill Young, co-chair of the LHT Programming and Public Relations Committee. "Parents with smaller children in trailers are also welcome, although we don't recommend children riding bikes with training wheels at the ride-ins."

Lindsey Bohra, the other Programming and PR Committee co-chair, said, "We encourage riders to arrive 15 to 20 minutes early to be ready to roll at the scheduled times. All groups will have a ride leader, who will lead them to the Hunt House, where they will receive LHT maps and can explore the beautiful Mercer Meadows trails."

The rides start as follows:

9:30 a.m. from the Brearley House at the end of Meadow Road off of Princeton Pike.

10 a.m. from the Bristol-Myers Squibb Hopewell entrance on Pennington-Rocky Hill Road. If the small lot is filled, participants will be directed to the construction entrance lot also on Rocky Hill-Pennington Road, across from Elm Ridge Road.

The Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) is a 20-plus mile bicycle and pedestrian recreational trail and transportation corridor through public and private lands in Lawrence and Hopewell Townships, Mercer County, N.J. The idea for the LHT grew out of a commitment to improving the quality of life for all who live or work in the region. The LHT supports an active, livable, and sustainable community with alternative forms of transportation to reduce reliance on automobiles. It also promotes health and fitness, recreation, and outdoor education.

The LHT's board is made up of citizens who are committed to the development and use of trails. It started in 2002 when a group of community leaders met at Bristol-Myers Squibb to address concerns about diminishing opportunities for safe, off-road biking and walking. Hopewell and Lawrence Township officials, state and county government representatives and several private organizations including Educational Testing Service, joined the group, and an independent nonprofit organization was formed to build a biking and walking trail.

Residents' feedback requested as LHT plans to host a community meeting

HOPEWELL, N.J. – The Lawrence Hopewell Trail is seeking comment and feedback from area residents in a brief survey in advance of its first annual LHT Community Meeting, to be held in November. With about 90 percent of the 22+ mile biking and walking trail completed, community involvement is more important than ever. To participate, please visit this link: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/3603470/LHTCommunitySurvey.

When: Saturday, September 9; ride starts at 9:30 p.m.; arrive early to check in

Where: Start and end at the parking lot at Rosedale Lake in Mercer Meadows, Hopewell, N.J.

Charge: $10 per rider; pre-registration online is strongly encouraged

(Hopewell, N.J.) – Adults and youngsters aged 12 up are invited to join hundreds of bicyclists expected to participate in a 6-mile, late-night ride through open meadows and dark woods lit by an "almost full" moon on Saturday, September 9, at Mercer Meadows.

Sponsored by the Lawrence Hopewell Trail and the Mercer County Park Commission, the ride kicks off at 9:30 p.m., with riders being encouraged to allow extra time to sign in for the event. Registration will open at 9:00 p.m., but pre-registration at the LHT website, www.lhtrail.org\fullmoonride, is strongly recommended and will speed up the preliminaries, according to Jay Watson, LHT board member and curator of the Full Moon Bike Ride.

"This ride takes cyclists through Mercer Meadows via the Lawrence Hopewell Trail, which serves as the backbone of an extensive trail system in the park," Watson said. "From the starting gate at Rosedale Lake, riders will head to the Maidenhead Trail, on to the Twin Pines Trail, then back to Rosedale Park, in a ride that takes most riders about 45 minutes to complete."

"For the fourth year in a row, we are excited to welcome bicycling enthusiasts to our 1,600-acre park, which features scenic biking and walking opportunities through meadows and woodlands," said Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes.

"The Mercer County Park Commission is dedicated to providing recreation opportunities and encouraging leisure time activities and preservation of open spaces, among other aims," said Aaron T. Watson, Executive Director of the Mercer County Park Commission. "The LHT Full Moon Ride has become one of the most popular community annual events. It brings our residents out to enjoy our parks in a completely different way."

Helmets are required and cyclists are encouraged to use bicycle headlights and creatively decorate their bikes with glow sticks for the late-night ride. Ice cream vendors will be on hand at the ride start and end of the trail loop.

To help defray LHT's operating costs and fund further trail construction and maintenance, the participation charge is $10 per cyclist. Riders are encouraged to complete and print the registration form in advance of the ride. Riders may also register on the evening of the ride, availability depending, and should factor in extra time for registration.

For any questions about how weather might impact the ride, please visit the LHT website beginning at 6 p.m. on Saturday, September. The LHT will post information regarding cancellation, should that be necessary.

About the Lawrence Hopewell Trail

The Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) is a 22+ mile bicycle and pedestrian trail and transportation corridor through public and private land in Lawrence and Hopewell Townships in Mercer County, N.J. The LHT supports an active, livable and sustainable community with alternative forms of transportation to reduce the reliance on automobiles. It also promotes health and fitness, recreation and outdoor education. The Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corporation is a nonprofit organization that depends on the community for support. It is not supported by local tax dollars. The LHT is a key member of the Circuit Trails a 750-mile network of bicycle and pedestrian trails connecting people to jobs, communities, and parks in the Greater Philadelphia Region. For more information about the LHT, please visit www.lhtrail.org.

About Mercer Meadows

The Mercer County Park Commission manages diverse offerings within its more than 10,000 acres of parks, recreational facilities, and open space throughout Mercer County. Mercer Meadows, where the Full Moon Bike Ride will take place, consists of more than 1,600 acres, divided among five separate districts. Miles of mowed and gravel trails provide visitors and their families with scenic walking and biking routes through the meadows and woodland. Fishing is a popular activity at the park's four water bodies. For more information, please visit www.mercercountyparks.org.

A $1 million N.J. Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) grant awarded through the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission will fund construction of a one-mile segment of the Lawrence Hopewell Trail through the Mount Rose Preserve along Carter Road in Hopewell Township. This new segment will connect the existing trail off Pennington Rocky Hill Road across Carter Road to Cleveland Road in Lawrence Township.

"Once this segment is constructed, we will be 93 percent of the way toward completion of the planned 22-mile Lawrence Hopewell Trail through public and private lands in Hopewell and Lawrence Townships. For the people in our community who enjoy biking and walking on the LHT, this is a huge step forward," said Hopewell Township Committeewoman Vanessa Sandom, who serves of the LHT board. "I want to recognize the leadership and hard work of Township Administrator Paul Pogorzelski in leading the effort to secure DVRPC's funding."

"The Lawrence Hopewell Trail is a quality-of-life enhancement for Mercer County residents. Many people have told me how much they appreciate having this terrific recreational resource at their disposal, and I'm thrilled to see the overall project moving one step closer to completion," said Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes, whose county planners Leslie Floyd, Planning Director, and Matthew Lawson, were also instrumental in securing the grant awarded by the DVRPC, the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization serving nine New Jersey and Pennsylvania counties including Mercer. This commission focuses on improving transportation, promoting smart growth, protecting the environment and enhancing the economy.

"We have long been supporters of the Lawrence Hopewell Trail, a great example of a biking and walking trail created by the community, for the community," said Chris Linn, manager of DVRPC Environmental Planning. "The LHT's approach to trail building is certainly unique in our experience, with a volunteer-driven board of directors locating, planning and building a trail literally foot-by-foot. We look for applicants with a track record of achievement and projects that are ready to build. The LHT meets our criteria in creative ways."

The county will install a mid-block crossing to take bike riders and walkers safely across Carter Road before the end of the year, according to Floyd. The trail will be built from the northwest of the property, behind Bristol-Myers Squibb's Carter Road campus, and travel northeast, behind the former AT&T property, to Cleveland Road. Construction is expected to begin next spring.

The $1 million grant is expected to cover most of the estimated construction costs of $1.2 million. This cost is in alignment with national urban trail construction. It generally follows the same process as roadway construction, as it must be designed, engineered, permitted, constructed, and include related traffic signaling, crosswalks, etc. (For more information on trail costs, please visit http://lhtrail.org/about/trail-faq/.)

"The LHT started as an idea for a community project in 2002 when Bristol-Myers Squibb invited representatives of Lawrence and Hopewell Townships, county and state agencies to join an effort to create a biking and walking trail through the two towns," said Becky Taylor, LHT co-president. "This grant enables us to build an outstanding segment of the trail, made possible through the preservation of the land by the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, Mercer County government and a number of other key players."

Eleanor Horne, LHT co-president, noted that as one of the last segments remaining to be built, the Mount Rose section represents a key achievement for the trail's completion and northern connection to Lawrence Township. "This segment also will add another mile to the Circuit Trails, an amazing network of 750 miles of interconnected bicycle and pedestrian trails connecting people to jobs, communities, and parks beginning south of Philadelphia, extending north to the LHT, connecting to the East Coast Greenway to the east and to the Appalachian Trails to the west," Horne said.

"This addition enables riders and walkers to continue from a terrific LHT section that runs by the Whiskey House on Pennington-Rocky Hill Road over to Carter Road and through the Mount Rose Preserve. For area residents, this is an important addition to our community trail system," said Hopewell Township Mayor Kevin Kuchinski.

"The Lawrence Hopewell Trail connects people to preserved lands and encourages outdoor exercise and enjoyment of nature," said Michele S. Byers, Executive Director of New Jersey Conservation Foundation. "We look forward to having Mount Rose Preserve and its newly-completed trails connected to other bicycle and pedestrian trails in New Jersey and beyond, and thank the Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corporation and DVRPC for making this possible."

The grant LHT will receive is provided by TAP, a competitive federal program providing funds for community based "non-traditional" surface transformation projects designed to strengthen the cultural, aesthetic, and environmental aspects of the nation's intermodal system. N.J. TAP provides $5 million in funding projects in the DVRPC region.

About the Lawrence Hopewell Trail

The Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) is a 22+ mile bicycle and pedestrian trail and transportation corridor through public and private land in Lawrence and Hopewell Townships in Mercer County, N.J. The LHT supports an active, livable and sustainable community with alternative forms of transportation to reduce the reliance on automobiles. It also promotes health and fitness, recreation and outdoor education. The Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corporation is a nonprofit organization that depends on the community for support. It is not supported by local tax dollars. The LHT is a key member of the Circuit Trails a 750-mile network of bicycle and pedestrian trails connecting people to jobs, communities, and parks in the Greater Philadelphia Region. For more information about the LHT, please visit www.lhtrail.org

About Mount Rose Preserve

Mount Rose Preserve is owned and managed by New Jersey Conservation Foundation, Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space, Hopewell Township, and Mercer County. This land was preserved by these groups along with Hopewell Valley Citizen's Group Inc., N.J. Green Acres Program, Stony-Brook Millstone Watershed Association, Hopewell Borough, Pennington Borough, Friends of Princeton Open Space, D&R Greenway Land Trust, Lawrence Township, and Princeton.

(HOPEWELL, NJ)—The Lawrence Hopewell Trail will celebrate the opening of two connecting segments over a mile long on Tuesday, Oct. 1 when corporate, community, education and public officials cut the ribbon at the Bristol-Myers Squibb Princeton Pike and Lawrenceville School segments. The new eight-foot wide asphalt trail runs from Princeton Pike on the vacant BMS property, past the Brearley Oak and around the northern tip of the property. It crosses Lewisville Road and connects directly with the Lawrenceville School at its baseball field parking lot before becoming stone dust and winding its way through campus.

The ceremony will take place at 11:30 a.m. on the BMS property, just 100 yards from the Lawrenceville School baseball field parking lot. Speakers will include Lawrenceville School Head Master Liz Duffy, BMS Director of Community Affairs Fred Egenolf and Senior Program Officer Andrew Johnson at the William Penn Foundation, which provided $248,000 for the construction project.

Light refreshments will be served as attendees celebrate the completion of the three-month construction project. The BMS segment of the trail is 3,100 feet long, and the new Lawrenceville School segment is 1,900 feet long. The trail continues on the interior school road of the campus out to Route 206 and Lawrenceville Main Street.

(HOPEWELL/PENNINGTON, NJ) -- Congressman Rush Holt and Hopewell Valley officials and business leaders today cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the Pennington Connection to the Lawrence Hopewell Trail. The connection was made possible through a grant secured by Congressman Holt and through Bristol-Myers Squibb’s construction of an additional quarter mile of trail linking the existing trail on Pennington Rocky Hill Road to the new section going into Pennington Borough.

"The founders of the Lawrence Hopewell Trail have worked hard for years to plan, fund, and construct this network of recreational trails open to all. The Borough of Pennington has made a real contribution to the livability of the region by linking to the LHT loop. I am pleased to have been able to help by securing $266,760 in federal funds to support the completion the Pennington Connection we are officially opening today,” said Congressman Holt. “In the most densely populated state in the country, we all know how special it is to have so many partners come together to make a more livable community. Like many fortunate enough to live in the area, I often walk and bike on the Lawrenceville Hopewell Trail, which adds to the quality of life of in our community."

The Lawrence Hopewell Trail is a biking and walking trail looping through Hopewell and Lawrence Township. It is the creation of a grassroots collaboration formed in 2002. Access from Pennington Borough to the LHT was made possible with the completion of what is called the Pennington Connection. The “connection” was proposed by the Borough to link King George Road on Pennington’s border with the nearby LHT along Pennington-Rocky Hill Road.

The project was completed in two phases. The first phase, from the Stony Brook Bridge through a large wetland area, was constructed last year and funded largely through federal grants to Pennington Borough. The first phase features a 600-foot-long retaining wall with railing. The concrete retaining wall was necessary due to a sharp drop off in grade along the west side of Pennington-Rocky Hill Road. The retaining wall was a major contributor to project cost of $456, 929.

The main source of funding for the first phase was the $266,760 federal grant secured with the assistance of Congressman Holt in 2009. Pennington Borough obtained a second grant of $24,700 through the federally funded Recreational Trails grant program. The balance of funding was provided by the Borough’s Open Space Trust Fund. The fund is supported by the borough’s 1 cent open space tax.

In order to complete the “connection,” during the spring Bristol-Myers Squibb extended the trail on its Pennington-Rocky Hill Road frontage from Old Mill Road in Hopewell Township south toward Kind George Road in Pennington. The LHT now traverses the full length of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s property on Pennington-Rocky Hill Road, linking with LHT segments on Wargo Road and at the neighboring Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed to the west, Mercer Meadows Park to the east, and the Pennington Connection to the south.

“Both Hopewell Township and Mercer County were valuable partners with Pennington Borough in the project’s first phase. The Township funded the design work and permitting as well as oversaw the construction of the project on behalf of Pennington Borough. Mercer County, for its part, replaced a long expanse of guard rail between Pennington-Rocky Hill Road, a county road, and the trail,” said Tom Ogren, former Pennington Borough Councilman, who was instrumental in working with Congressman Holt to secure the grant.

Pennington Borough Mayor Tony Persichelli added, “We thank Congressman Rush Holt for helping us to obtain the grant for the extension of the LHT and to former Councilman Tom Ogren along with Paul Pogorzelski of Hopewell Township for their efforts in helping to complete this project. The extension on the outskirts of Pennington Borough will benefit all citizens of Hopewell Valley.”

“The Pennington Connection is a major step forward in a community-wide goal to enable Hopewell Valley residents to travel throughout our area by walking or biking,” said Hopewell Township Mayor Vanessa Sandom. “We were pleased to partner with our neighbors to make this connection.”

“The Lawrence Hopewell Trail is grateful to all of our partners in the community for helping us create a community amenity that allows families and individuals to enjoy our beautiful surroundings on foot or bicycle. We are thrilled that with the support of Congressman Holt, former Councilman Tom Ogren, and all of the other municipal, county and federal officials involved with the Pennington Connection, we are now able to safely and easily travel along the trail into Pennington and vice versa,” said Becky Taylor, LHT co-president.

“The Lawrence Hopewell Trail is truly a community-led project that benefits the community. The completion of connectors, such as the Pennington Connector, extends the trail and increases the number of people who can use it safely,” said Eleanor Horne, LHT co-president.

About the Lawrence Hopewell Trail

The Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) is a 20+ miles bicycle and pedestrian recreational trail and transportation corridor through public and private lands in Lawrence and Hopewell Townships, Mercer County, N.J. The idea for the LHT grew out of a commitment to improving the quality of life for all who live or work in the region. The LHT supports an active, livable, and sustainable community with alternative forms of transportation to reduce reliance on automobiles. It also promotes health and fitness, recreation, and outdoor education. For more information, please visit www.lhtrail.org.